Royal Mail's strike breakers hired on minimum wage after only cursory interviews and criminal checks

Royal Mail is hiring thousands of 'strike-breakers' who have not had their references checked or been vetted for criminal records.

The company's decision to bus in 30,000 casual workers, to clear a mail backlog caused by previous strikes and the two-day national stoppage beginning on Thursday has already triggered a furious row.

Now the Mail has learned that they are being hired - on the minimum wage of £5.80 an hour - after only cursory interviews.

Casual workers arrive at a temporary Royal Mail sorting depot in Bristol today in a bid to get one of the temporary contracts

Some have criminal convictions, but references are not being checked before they start work.

Applicants are simply asked to provide a passport and a utility bill.

One man revealed he was phoned just 15 minutes after he emailed his
CV to a recruitment agency - and asked when he could start.

The temps are asked to fill in a police security check form, stating they have no criminal record.

But according to one witness, at least one man was hired - and given
a security badge to enter sorting offices packed with valuable mail -
despite admitting he had spent time in prison.

Royal Mail and recruitment agencies such as Manpower and Reed have been deluged with more than 85,000 applications.

In some areas, people are being interviewed three at a time.

They also have to take an 'aptitude test' involved a sorting exercise which any primary school child could complete.

Management insist the casual workers are needed to help deal with the strike

In another move to minimise the impact of the strike, Royal Mail
managers have been ordered to work on front-line duties, including
sorting and deliveries.

Emergency measures are being drawn up to ensure hospital
patients, pensioners and people on benefits will not suffer from the
strike.

Hospitals are planning to phone patients with appointment
details and use private couriers to carry blood samples and test
results.

The astonishing details of the recruitment process emerged as
Lord Mandelson triggered a Cabinet split by taking a hard line against
the Communication Workers Union.

The Business Secretary supported the decision to hire the
temporary staff, telling peers that Royal Mail took on casual workers
every year in the runup to Christmas.

He added: 'It is now doing so in greater numbers because, if this
strike goes ahead, there will be considerable backlogs to clear.'

Lord Mandelson denied that the casuals were an 'army of strike-breakers'.

Senior Labour figures have warned Lord Mandelson that any
decision to sanction the hiring of strike-breakers will stretch their
loyalty past breaking point.

Business Secretary Lord Mandelson delivers a statement to the House of Lords on the postal dispute

Some Cabinet ministers with close links to the unions are deeply disturbed by what is seen as an attempt to smash the CWU.

Several senior ministers, including Labour's deputy leader
Harriet Harman, are concerned that Lord Mandelson has taken too
hardline a stance.

A Labour source said: 'Harriet is not happy with the way things have played out.'

Welsh Secretary Peter Hain, who has been a member of the CWU since
he worked for the union in the 1970s and is still sponsored by them,
would also like the government to be more conciliatory.

Lord O'Neill, a former Labour MP and chairman of the Trade and
Industry Select Committee, was furious about Lord Mandelson's decision
to sanction the hiring of temporary staff.

He warned: 'It will be stretching our loyalty further than
many of us would want to go if he were prepared to support
strike-breaking on a massive scale.

'I know this is an industrial union and often very blinkered,
but let's not abuse them. They have been friends of the Labour movement
and we have to give them a chance to come to a deal.'

The CWU gives approximately £1million a year to Labour and the cash would be vital to its General Election campaign.

But the Business Secretary warned that Royal Mail faced 'terminal decline' unless modernisation plans were allowed to go ahead.

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He said: 'I very much regret what is happening. I think it is
totally self-defeating for our postal services and those who work to
deliver them.

'Taking industrial action will not resolve this dispute. It will only serve to drive more customers away from Royal Mail.'

Lord Mandelson said the strike was a disaster for small firms and the economy.

He added: 'Royal Mail's small business customers will look on
with anger and exasperation. Just as there are signs of the economy
recovering and the prospects for their businesses are improving,
strikes now will set them back and put their businesses in jeopardy.

'Royal Mail's finances will be plunged into the red. One thing this company cannot afford is strikes and industrial action.'

Union leaders and Royal Mail executives were still holding talks
to try to resolve the dispute. Royal Mail has refused to involve the
arbitration service ACAS unless the strike is called off - a stance
backed by Lord Mandelson.

CWU general secretary Billy Hayes called Lord Mandelson's
comments 'extremely unhelpful', and said they would damage efforts to
reach a settlement. 'Peter Mandelson's re-reading of old Royal Mail
press releases helps no one,' he said.

'While the CWU and management are working hard to reach an
agreement, Lord Mandelson is misrepresenting the facts to Parliament
and undermining any progress being made in the talks.

'The CWU will be available for talks at ACAS without condition. We expect Royal Mail to do likewise.'

Labour MP John McDonnell warned: 'This may be part of an
election strategy, for Brown and Mandelson to be seen as tough by
taking on a union, but it looks more likely to be edging towards a
Callaghan "winter of discontent".'

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85,000 rush to apply for Royal Mail strike jobs ahead of national walkout